(I recommend signing up for a few in one go as offers change regularly, and some of the better sites close their doors from time to time)

We live in an era of mobile apps. And we also live in an era of earning money online, as you are very well aware since you’re here. How about joining up the two and try to earn money via mobile, instead of having to sit down in front of your bulky desktop computer or a laptop? Unfortunately, not enough paid survey sites utilize apps. Fortunately, QuickThoughts does, and here’s an honest review of it.

I am quite baffled as to why more survey sites don’t harness the power of mobile apps. Think about it – I’m pretty sure that almost everyone you know owns and uses a smartphone, a tablet, or both. Maybe we’re looking at a change of paradigm, where companies that heavily rely on apps are the ones that are going to survive. If that’s the case, I believe QuickThoughts is one of those companies.

But first, let’s look into their business. And then, we’ll proceed with the pros and cons of this service.

QuickThoughts Overview

The company that stands behind the QuickThoughts app is called Survey Sampling International. Both entries exist in the Better Business Bureau database, but neither of them is accredited. Survey Sampling has a discouraging F rating there, due to their failure to respond to 53 complaints filed against them. QuickThoughts has a slightly better (or less bad) standing, with D- rating. Not a particularly promising information, I must say. It still doesn’t mean the business is a scam, though. So, we won’t stop there.

How to Earn Money via QuickThoughts?

Since it’s the app that gets you the earning opportunity, look it up in Google Play or Apple Store and install it. I was amazed to see how popular this app is. It has over million downloads on Google Play, which means the masses have really gotten into it. The registering process is as simple as it can be – just enter your email address, confirm it, and you’re good to go.

The first condition is that you are a US resident. Other people can sign up too, but they will likely experience issues due to their location. Other than that, you only have to be 18+ years old, which is a pretty standard requirement. And make sure not to have more than one account, since that seems to be the main reason for them to suspend your account indefinitely.

Then, you can proceed to taking actual surveys. You will have thousands of them at your disposal at any given moment, since the app is connected to many resources. So, one of the most common complaints of survey takers – that the number of surveys is scarce – doesn’t stand here. Every successfully completed survey will bring you from 50¢ to $3, which is a standard amount in the industry. However, you won’t get those amounts in cash. They will convert to Amazon or iTunes gift cards of corresponding value.

The further you go, the better it sounds. It seems they will even compensate you if you get disqualified in the middle of a survey. 10¢ doesn’t sound like much, but it can add up, and it’s nice to get a little something so you’d know you’re not wasting your time entirely.

Other Earning Opportunities

Taking surveys is not all there is to QuickThoughts. You can also do shopping trips for money, with taking photos of the products, taking in-store polls, or filling out shopping questionnaires. I couldn’t find out how much these other activities pay. It’s probably due to the fact that most people use QuickThoughts for traditional surveys instead of shopping. (If you like cash back services, check out Ebates.)

Finally, if you’re into charity, you can choose to donate your earned amounts.

Pros

They never run out of surveys. Unlike some of their competitors, they have links with many resources. And that means you can take surveys for as long as you like. Which, in turn, translates to a decent earning potential.

Taking surveys is just one of the activities that can earn you money. If you like shopping and do it frequently, you will likely enjoy the shopping assignments. Occasionally, you will also get a chance to enter various sweepstakes.

The cashout threshold is not too high. If you are diligent enough, it shouldn’t take you long to hit $10.

Payments are prompt. The voucher codes will immediately hit your inbox the moment you request them.

Cons

You don’t get cash. Much as I like Amazon or iTunes vouchers, I would still prefer to get paid in cash.

Bad ratings with Better Business Bureau. I don’t know if that means they are sloppy or just careless, but it spoils their professional image and reputation. Their ratings are worse than low, which reflects their relationship with customers.

Many customer complaints. Most of them come from users whose accounts were suddenly locked down when they tried to cash out. Some of those people were even long term users. Now, it’s possible that they breached the terms of service somehow. But still, I would count those negative experiences toward my final verdict.

The service is restricted to the app. Their commitment to the digital trends is praiseworthy. But I still think it would have been nice if they gave us a chance to take surveys on desktop too.

Final Verdict

If this survey system didn’t have that many negative user reviews, it would sound like a dream come true. Such as it is, it’s similar to most paid survey sites out there in that it’s good for some, but average for most. And yes, downright terrible to those who had their accounts locked down for one reason or another.

But the most important thing is that this business is definitely legitimate. If you want to try it out, there’s no particular reason not to.

If, however, you are looking for a well tested survey platform that has proved successful time and time again, try out Swagbucks.